Safe Ways To Play: Tips For Safe Cold Weather Fun

Two Is Better Than One-It's a safe idea to use the buddy system when skiing.

(NAPSI)-If you're one of 12 million Americans who plan to take advantage of the cold weather and spend time outdoors sledding, skiing or snowboarding, there are some important safety tips that you should be aware of before you head outside.

In one year alone, there were more than 362,000 sledding-, skiing- and snowboarding-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. To help prevent injuries and keep children and families safe while engaging in outdoor activities, Dr. John Tongue, Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, has teamed up with the Jeep® Safe Way to Play campaign to offer these important safety tips:

Ride in style: The safest way to ride a sled is to sit in a forward-facing position. To decrease the chance of injury, avoid sledding downhill headfirst.
Think with your head when choosing a sled: Avoid sleds that are made out of thin plastic sheets. They can be pierced and steered by sharp objects that may be buried in the sledding path. The safest sleds are equipped with runners and a steering mechanism.
Protect your noggin: Children 12 years and younger should wear helmets when sledding, skiing or snowboarding to prevent head injuries. The most serious sledding injuries and most common skiing injuries result from collisions with fixed objects such as rocks or trees. Wearing a helmet can help reduce the seriousness of these injuries.
Fall like a pro: Learning how to fall is just as important as learning how to ski or snowboard. Whenever possible, skiers and snowboarders should fall forward or sideways instead of backward to decrease the chance of a serious knee injury.
Use the buddy system: Never participate in cold weather sports alone. Always select a partner and be sure to stay together when playing outdoors.
Watch the terrain: Skiers and snowboarders should keep a lookout for icy patches and be prepared to make adjustments for ice, deep-powder snow and wet snow while on the slope. As snow gets packed down and turns firm, skiing and snowboarding becomes more difficult and runs down the hill become quicker.

"There are many enjoyable and exciting outdoor activities to participate in when the weather is cold," said Dr. Tongue. "Before you or someone you know gets hurt, visit www.jeep.com/jeep_life for a full list of sledding, skiing and snowboarding tips that will help keep you safe."

As the sponsor of the Jeep Terrain Park Challenge, a national grassroots program to encourage amateur snow sport participation at terrain parks nationwide, and other winter sporting events, the Jeep brand is working to spread this important safety message across the country.

The brand has a full line of 4x4 vehicles designed to get families to and from their destinations safely, including the Jeep Commander, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited, Compass and Patriot. The brand's Safe Way to Play campaign encourages drivers to do everything slowly when driving in adverse conditions.

Even when driving vehicles that are equipped with the newest safety features, such as traction control and an electronic stability program (which come standard on all Jeep vehicles), drivers should accelerate, turn and break slowly and gently.

For additional driving tips, visit www.jeep.com/jeep_life.

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